I set quite a lot of store by the recognition that liturgical leadership has an element of ‘performance’ in it, even if only at the level of ‘learning to be yourself in public’. So Goffman’s famous work has a contribution to make to our reflection on leading worship. It is useful, then, that someone has summarised it for us!

Goffman dissects the meaning and practice of direct interaction, using “dramaturgical” tools – that is, he takes seriously the claim that “All the world is a stage, and we but merely players” (to roughly quote the Bard).

via Goffman: PSEL.